A Pittsburgh resident has filed a lawsuit against her landlord, alleging negligence that led to severe personal injuries. The complaint was filed by Rebecca Gillard in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on July 17, 2024, against D'Shawn Thomas.
According to the court documents, Rebecca Gillard claims that on August 26, 2022, she suffered significant injuries due to defective stairs at her rented property located at 1106 Wood Street in Pittsburgh. The plaintiff asserts that the stairs were painted black and were both cracked and uneven, creating a hazardous condition. Gillard's legal team from Chaffin Luhana LLP argues that D'Shawn Thomas knew or should have known about these dangerous conditions but failed to address them adequately.
The lawsuit details that D'Shawn Thomas was responsible for the care, custody, control, operation, maintenance, and supervision of all areas of the property, including the stairs and entryways. "Plaintiff's injuries and damages were caused by and were the direct and proximate result of the negligence of the Defendant," states the complaint. Specifically, it accuses Thomas of painting the stairs black and failing to repair their cracked and uneven condition.
As a result of this alleged negligence, Gillard suffered severe personal injuries including a fractured foot. She claims these injuries have led to substantial medical expenses for treatments such as hospitalization, surgical appliances, medicines, and services from various healthcare providers. Additionally, she alleges ongoing pain and suffering that has impaired her general health and vitality. The plaintiff also mentions experiencing mental anguish and loss of enjoyment in life’s pleasures due to her injuries.
In her prayer for relief, Gillard seeks compensatory damages exceeding the jurisdictional limits exclusive of interest and allowable costs. She is asking for actual economic and non-economic damages to be determined at trial along with pre-judgment and post-judgment interest. Furthermore, she requests any other relief deemed necessary by the court.
Representing Rebecca Gillard are attorneys Mark J. Malone, Eric T. Chaffin, and Patrick Booth from Chaffin Luhana LLP based in Pittsburgh.
The Case ID is: ECCDF32A-CB53-404B-85EF-10A791EC9BD7.